Amazon Prime Day officially kicks off on July 12th and runs through the 13th, but early bird deals are already taking effect at the retailer and its competitors. For example, several Google products are on sale at Amazon and retailers like Target, from Chromecast with Google TV to Nest cameras. Some items may have additional discounts on Prime Day itself, but these are still solid deals.
Check out our Amazon Prime Day coverage for more deals ahead of the big sale. Our Prime Day Shopping Tips will help you discover if the deal is worth your time and money.
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Offering doorbells and security cameras
Nest’s video doorbell is our runner-up pick, second only to Arlo’s Essential simply because it’s more expensive. This deal matches the cheapest we’ve seen in months. Easy to install and remove for charging (battery lasts more than a month). Smart notifications that identify faces and packages are also accurate, but you’ll need a subscription to Nest Aware ($6/month). You can also find this deal at Best Buy.
Need an indoor security camera? This simple camera looks sleek, is mountable, and doesn’t have a battery, meaning you’ll need to plug it in. (On the plus side, you never have to charge it.) WIRED review editor Julian Chokkattu had one show up at his front door last year and had a good experience with it, though subscribing to Nest Aware will expand your video history. This deal isn’t rare, but it’s still good, and it’s also available at Target.
This security camera works the same as the indoor camera above, except it’s battery powered and can withstand rain, wind and snow. It has a 130-degree field of view and 1080p video, which WIRED Senior Associate Editor Adrienne So says showed clear views of her driveway, front door and even most of her yard. The battery needs to be charged after a little more than a month. This deal is also available at Target. There’s also a two-pack for $250 ($80 off), or a four-pack for $490 ($170 off).
If you’re planning to monitor a dark and gloomy area, this camera is functionally similar to the Nest Cam above, but it doesn’t run on a battery and has two reflectors on either side. Lights can turn on automatically, such as when a camera detects motion. You can also set a schedule or use your voice to turn them on. This deal is also available at Target.
Offer of phones, laptops and speakers
We like Google’s Pixel 6 Pro (9/10, WIRED Recommends) because it has a spectacular camera system, with an excellent 4x optical zoom camera, a sharp 120Hz screen refresh rate with an AMOLED panel, and a host of useful smart software features powered by the Google Tensor processor . Oh, and a battery that generally lasts all day. The phone had a lot of bugs, but many of the issues have now been fixed. Just know that the Pixel 7 Pro is coming towards the end of the year.
If you’re looking for a new Android phone, most people should go for the Pixel 6. It’s a small thing, but it’s an incredible value. You get a 90Hz AMOLED screen, wireless charging, the same powerful Tensor processor, and a great dual-camera system.
This is Google’s first generation wireless charger, not the newer second generation version. It will charge any device that supports wireless charging, whether it’s in landscape or portrait orientation. If you put a Pixel phone on it, you’ll get a few extra perks, including ambient lighting that mimics a sunrise, a digital photo frame feature, and quick access to smart home controls. Read our guide to the best wireless chargers for more options.
Google’s Nest Audio (8/10, WIRED recommends) is one of our favorite smart speakers. This is the typical bid price it drops to during major sales events. Nest Audio is the successor to the original Google Home from 2016, offering deeper bass and louder sound for better streaming. Of course, it’s powered by Google Assistant, so you can ask it anything you type into the Google search bar. Pairing the two together makes a solid stereo system. There is a physical switch to mute the microphone, which we appreciate. This offer is also available at Walmart.
The Nest Mini is a cheaper, smaller and smaller version of the Nest Audio. It doesn’t sound that great, but it’s a great little speaker for small spaces in the house where you want to use your voice to control smart home devices. You can also mount it on the wall (as long as there is an outlet nearby).
If you can do all your work outside of the Chrome browser, then a Chromebook might be all you need. This Pixelbook Go is a bit dated, but it’s still one of our favorite Chromebooks and works perfectly fine. The screen is sharp, the keyboard is lovely, and this Core i5 model is plenty powerful for most.
Smart display and router deal
This router often drops to this price, but it ranges up to $169, so this is still a solid deal. Nest Wifi is easy to set up, looks stylish and creates a reliable mesh network in your home. This deal is for the router only, but you can add a Nest Point to extend coverage: that bundle is $149 ($120 off) (also available at Target). Already have a router but want to add a hotspot? It’s also on sale for $95 ($55 off). Read our guide to the best network routers for more recommendations.
This is a fairly common offering for this smart thermostat. We haven’t reviewed this exact version in detail, but we have a guide on how to confirm compatibility and set it up. If you like how Google runs its smart home, we think you’ll like this. The deal is also available at Target and Best Buy. The newer Nest Thermostat is also on sale for $100 ($30 off). It doesn’t learn or adapt to your habits, but you can still set schedules.
Technically, this is a deal, but the Nest Hub Max (8/10, WIRED recommends) is discounted to this price often enough that you should never buy it at full price. This version has a camera if you want to use it for video chat. It’s a useful companion, as it can function as a security camera feed (if the camera supports it), guide you through cooking instructions, or just serve as a digital photo frame.
The camera-less Nest Hub is also on sale. This one has a 7-inch screen as opposed to the Nest Hub Max’s 10-inch screen, so it’s more ideal for small spaces like bedrooms. This second-generation model can also track your sleep habits in case you want to make sure you’re getting seven hours (no wearable required). Check out our guide to the best smart screens for more details.
